Karen Kingsbury - This Side of Heaven

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Scriptures are taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2009 by Karen Kingsbury

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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First eBook Edition: January 2009

ISBN: 978-1-599-95145-4

To Donald, my Prince Charming

How I rejoice to see you coaching again, sharing your gift of teaching and your uncanny ability with basketball with another generation of kids. And best yet, now our boys are part of the mix. Isnt this what we always dreamed of, my love? I love sitting back this time and letting you and God figure it out. Ill always be herecheering for you and the team from the bleachers. But Gods taught me a thing or two about being a coachs wife. Hes so good that way. Its fitting that you would find varsity coaching again now after twenty years of marriage. Hard to believe that as you read this, our twentieth anniversary has come and gone. I look at you and I still see the blond, blue-eyed guy who would ride his bike to my house and read the Bible with me before a movie date. You stuck with me back then and you stand by me now, when I need you more than ever. I love you, my husband, my best friend, my Prince Charming. Stay with me, by my side, and lets watch our children take wing, savoring every memory and each day gone by. Always and always... The ride is breathtakingly beautiful, my love. I pray it lasts far into our twilight years. Until then, Ill enjoy not always knowing where I end and you begin. I love you always and forever.

To Kelsey, my precious daughter

You are nineteen now, a young woman, and my heart soars with joy when I see all that you are, all youve become. This year is a precious one for us, because youre still home, attending junior college and spending nearly every day in the dance studio. When youre not dancing, youre helping out with the business and ministry of Life-Changing Fiction, so we have many precious hours together. I know this time is short and wont last, but Im enjoying it so muchyou, no longer the high school girl, a young woman and in every way my daughter, my friend. That part will always stay, but you, my sweet girl, will go where your dreams lead, soaring through the future doors God opens. Honey, you grow more beautifulinside and outevery day. And always I treasure the way you talk to me, telling me your hopes and dreams and everything in between. I can almost sense the plans God has for you, the very good plans. I pray you keep holding on to His hand as He walks you toward them. I love you, sweetheart.

To Tyler, my lasting song

I can hardly wait to see what this school year will bring for you, my precious son. Last year you were one of Josephs brothers, and you were Troy Bolton, and Captain Hook becoming a stronger singer and stage actor with every role. This year youll be at a new high school, where I believe God will continue to shape you as the leader He wants you to be. Your straight As last year were a sign of things to come, and I couldnt be prouder, Ty. I know it was hard watching Kelsey graduate, knowing that your time with your best friend is running short. But youll be fine, and no matter where God leads you in the future, the deep and lasting relationships youve begun here in your childhood will remain. Thank you for the hours of music and song. As you seize hold of your sophomore year, I am mindful that the time is rushing past, and I make a point to stop and listen a little longer when I hear you singing. Im proud of you, Ty, of the young man youre becoming. Im proud of your talent and your compassion for people and your place in our family. However your dreams unfold, Ill be in the front row to watch it happen. Hold on to Jesus, Ty. I love you.

To Sean, my happy sunshine

Today you came home from school, eyes sparkling, and showed me your science notebookall your meticulous, neat sentences and careful drawings of red and white blood cells and various bones and bacteria. I was marveling over every page, remarking at the time youd taken and the quality of your work, and together we laughed over the fact that neither of us really cares too much for science but that it still matters that we do our best. You smiled that easy smile of yours and said, Wait till you see Joshshis blows mine away. You didnt know it at the time, but I was very touched by the tone in your voice. You werent envious or defeated by the fact that Josh, in your same grade, might have managed to draw even-more-detailed pictures in his science journal. You were merely happy that youd done your best, earned your A, and could move on from seventh-grade science proud of your effort. I love that about you, Sean. You could easily sulk in the shadow of your brother, a kid who excels in so many areas that the two of you share. But you also excel, my dear son. And one of the best ways you shine is in your happy heart, your great love for life and for people, and your constant joy. Sean, you have a way of bringing smiles into our family, even in the most mundane moment, and lately we are smiling very big about your grades. I pray that God will use your positive spirit to always make a difference in the lives around you. Youre a precious gift, son. Keep smiling and keep seeking Gods best for your life. I love you, honey.

To Josh, my tenderhearted perfectionist

So, you finally did it! You can beat me at Ping-Pong now, not that Im surprised. God has given you great talents, Josh, and the ability to work at them with the sort of diligent determination that is rare in young teens. Whether in football or soccer, track or room inspections, you take the time to seek perfection. Along with that, there are bound to be struggles. Times when you need to understand again that the gifts and talents you bear are Gods, not yours, and times when you must learn that perfection isnt possible for us, only for God. Even so, my heart almost bursts with pride over the young man youre becoming. After one of your recent soccer tournaments one of the parents said something Ill always remember. Josh is such a leader, she told me. Even when he doesnt know other parents are looking, hes always setting an example for his teammates. The best one, of course, is when you remind your teammates to pray before a game. What a legacy you and your brothers are creating here in Washington State! You have an unlimited future ahead of you, Josh. Ill be cheering on the sidelines always. Keep God first in your life. I love you always.

To EJ, my chosen one

Here you are in the early months of seventh grade, and I can barely recognize the student athlete youve become. Those two years of homeschooling with Dad continue to reap a harvest a hundred times what was sown, and we couldnt be more proud of you. But even beyond your grades, we are blessed to have you in our family for so many reasons. You are wonderful with our pets always the first to feed them and pet them and look out for themand you are a willing worker when it comes to chores. Besides all that you make us laugh, oftentimes right out loud. Ive always believed that getting through lifes little difficulties and challenges requires a lot of laughterand I thank you for bringing that to our home. Youre a wonderful boy, son, a child with such potential. Clearly thats what you showed the other day when you came out of nowhere in your soccer qualifiers and scored three goals. Im amazed because youre so talented in so many ways, but all of it pales in comparison to your desire truly to live for the Lord. Im so excited about the future, EJ, because God has great plans for you, and we want to be the first to congratulate you as you work to discover those. Thanks for your giving heart, EJ. I love you so.